GPL License V3 Clarification

Per my understanding, I do not have to publish any code to the public if I use the software under the GPL License and not modify it. Basically, If I am just using the libraries, I should not have any problem. Can ExtJS please clarify this. Also, here is what I have directly from http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html:

Does the GPL require that source code of modified versions be posted to the public?The GPL does not require you to release your modified version, or any part of it. You are free to make modifications and use them privately, without ever releasing them. This applies to organizations (including companies), too; an organization can make a modified version and use it internally without ever releasing it outside the organization.But if you release the modified version to the public in some way, the GPL requires you to make the modified source code available to the program's users, under the GPL.Thus, the GPL gives permission to release the modified program in certain ways, and not in other ways; but the decision of whether to release it is up to you.

it looks like commercial license is also not very commercial friendly...

"a. Developer License:

Subject to the payment of the fee required for a Commercial Developer License and subject
to the terms and conditions of this License Agreement, We grant to You a revocable, non-
transferable and non-exclusive license (i)"hmm... answers, EXT, answers...

vmorale84, thanks . That was my exact reason for this thread. Moreover, I'm a mygwt user, so I felt this was a more appropriate section of the forum for me. I don't want this thread to turn into a philosophical debate contest. I just want a clarification of use vs modification.

it looks like commercial license is also not very commercial friendly...

"a. Developer License:

Subject to the payment of the fee required for a Commercial Developer License and subject
to the terms and conditions of this License Agreement, We grant to You a revocable, non-
transferable and non-exclusive license (i)"hmm... answers, EXT, answers...

sheesh-kebab, please see my reply in this thread about the "revocable" clause.

Before posting advice to people, you really should be sure you know what you are talking about. Thanks.

For the original poster, I don't think this a question a developer should be answering, but instead an attorney. However, my two cents on the GPL is that if you use Ext GWT to develop your application under GPL, you must distribute your application under GPL. Again, this is just my two cents.

Thanks for responding. I love your work, but with all due respect, shouldn't the ExtJS understand the license(s) it is binding it's software to? If the only response is that I should consult an attorney, then ExtJS has not understood the implications of going from LGPL to GPL.

Thanks for responding. I love your work, but with all due respect, shouldn't the ExtJS understand the license(s) it is binding it's software to? If the only response is that I should consult an attorney, then ExtJS has not understood the implications of going from LGPL to GPL.

Totally agree. I've seen this happen so many times. Bottom line: they want to be paid and that's okay. Making it GPL is basically making it closed software. No one and I mean no one that works for a company uses GPL software per se. You got to pay for it. The standard response "consult your attorney" gives it away.

I think a lot of people are pissed because they have contributed back into the software. I bet you that extjs in the end will grant these people exceptions and basically make new customers pay. This is fine.

The extjs people are doing a terrible job of explaining or transitioning existing customers. Companies think that GPL is opensource friendly and is a good "marketing" idea. God, everyone knows that GPL is bad.

That is so far from the truth. It makes it open source for open source. The GPL is the only open source license that makes sure everything done with it is also open source. If anything, it is the epitomy of open source and proliferates additional open source works.

If the only response is that I should consult an attorney, then ExtJS has not understood the implications of going from LGPL to GPL.

If we were to reply to these type of questions every time they were asked, we would need a full time team of 10s lawyers simply to answer them. I personally get more than I can count PER DAY. There is no way I (or anyone else at Ext JS) can analyse everyones usage and provide accurate information regarding their usage. In the case of Ext JS, there are so many different ways to use/integrate into an application and all have different licensing implications.